Machine and method for knitting a complete full-fashioned stocking



May 30, 1933. R. F. MEIER 1,912,005

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR KNITTING A COMPLETE FULL FASHIONED STOCKING Filed Oct. 23. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. HabardF/Ve l'el'.

ATTORNEY.

May 30, 1933. R. F. MEIER ,91

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR KNITTING A COMPLETE FULL FASHIONED STOCKING Filed Oct. 25. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

m'cbaro i/veier' ATTORNEY.-

May 30, 1933. v R. F. MEIER 1,912,005

INVENTOR.

mmm flMe/w B Y 2 I Z A TTORNE Y.

May 30, 1933. R. F; MEIER 1,912,005

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR KNITTING COMPLETE FULL FASHIONED STOCKING Filed 001;. 25, 1931 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Fig.8 Y P 7 00000060000000 yoob ooooooooo ooboooooaocol '34 E Heel Insfep Heel Leg Fig.8

INVENTOR.

2 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE F. MEIER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Application filed October 23, 1931. Serial No. 570,587.

My invention relates to a machine for knitting hosiery, and relates more particularly to a machine wherein the equivalent of the footer and legger are combined in a single machine for the knitting of full fashioned hosiery; so that a complete full fashioned stocking may be knitted upon but one machine.

Heretofore, it has been customary, in the flat full-fashioned hosiery machines to knit the leg portion of the stocking on the flat legger machine, remove the knitted leg portion of the hose from the machine, and then place the hose into a basket for transfer to the footer machine which knits the foot portion of the hose. In order to knit silk and cotton yarns upon these machines, it is necessary properly to lubricate or moisten the yarn before knitting. This lubrication makes the yarn plastic, prevents casting off of stitches, and greatly assists in the knocking off operation. Toget the best results it is necessary that the yarn be used immediately after lubrication. The interval between transfer from the legger to the footer may endure for several weeks depending upon the convenience of the knitting operators. During this interval the yarn dries and requires renewed lubrication before being placed on the footer. If a leg of a silk stocking is made on a dry day, and the foot finished on a rainy or damp day the loops are of different form and this difference shows up .when the stocking is dyed. As a consequence an unnecessarily large number of hose are spoiled and can be marketed only as seconds.

Myinvention, permits the foot portion of the stocking to be knitted in a continuous process after completion of the leg portion without removal from the machine, thus making possible the elimination of waste in removing and transferring the hose from the legger machine, relubrication 0f the hose, and replacement on the footer and thereby effecting great economy in the number of machines, space, and the number of attendants required.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a topping mechanis'. .1 comprising a middle or front, and side topping bars, having transferring needles therein, the mechanism being constructed on the flat type of full fashioned hosiery machine adjacent the knitting needles of the flat-machine. The front topping bar is ada ted to lift the instep of the stocking rom the knitting needles, with suitable. mechanism driving one or more of the needles in each of the side topping bars into and lift/ing the inner edge of each heel flap after one or more courses thereof have been knitted. I also .provide means to thereafter move the side topping bars so that transfer needles therein will be in the same plane as the transfer needles of thefront topping bar, and mechanism whereby the needle holding the lifted portions of the heel and instep may be moved into substantially the same plane as the knitting needles of the knitting bed of the flatmachine. I further provide mechanism for subsequently lowering the topping mechanism over the knitting needles of the needle bar whereby the lifted portion of the heel and instep may be shifted onto the knitting needles so that the knitting operation may be completed.

In this way, I have provided a single ma chine combining the functions asboth' a legger and a footer, and I am thus able to attain the principal object of my invention, namely, to provide a single machine for and a novel method of manufacturing full fashioned hosiery, which machine and meth 0d are not subject to the disadvantages present in the machines and methods heretofore known and employed for the same purpose.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which may be readily added to existing machines without material alteration therein; and which may be readily incorporated in new machines.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for the adjustment of the width of the'instep.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method for greatly facilitating the operation ofreplacing the stocking upon the needles of the needle bar in its new position and converting the machine from a legger to the equivalent of a footer to continue the knitting in order to com plete the foot. This, I accomplish by forming relatively large loops along the inner selvage edge of the heel to permit the needles to pass through the loops more easily.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, which is easily and economically produced, sturdy in construction and which has a maximum efliciency and accuracy.

With these and related objects in view, my invention consists in the following details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the attachment forming 'a part of my invention as applied to a flat, full fashioned hosiery machine;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the topping device of my invention as it is positioned over the needle bar in readiness to complete the foot portion of the stocking;

Fig. 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of my topping bar located in position as the heel of the-stocking is to be completed;

Fig. 4 shows the toppin needle in position to remove the thread rom the knitting needle before the lifting occurs;

Fig. 5 illustrates the mechanism by which the inner heel loops are made larger;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the toppin bars;

Fig is a plan view of the topping bars; showing .the needles in the same plane;

Fi 8 illustrates the manner in which the need es of the topping bar are positioned as the leg is completed;

Fig. 9 illustrates the position, over the needle bar, in which the needles of the topping bar are placed before the transfer to the knitting needles of the needle bar occurs; and

.Fig. 10 shows a side elevational view of the course regulator cooperatively related to the operating pawl.

My apparatus may be either added to or constructed on a fiat or straight knitting machine (of the general type now in operation in full fashioned hosiery manufacturing lants) and is suitably mounted upon the frame of the legger machine.

The ordinary type of fiat full fashioned knitting machine has a vertically standing, en masse movable spring beard knitting needles and horizontally mounted sinkers,

mounted upon the upper portion of a rigid frame (not shown). The jacks are moved forward by a slurcock as it travels along a slide bar at the upper rear portion of the machine, each jack pushing forward a sinker and thus laying a thread in a corrugated course between alternate needles.

The knitting needles are given a vertical motion to draw newly formed loops through the old, and a horizontal motion to press the beards of the needles into grooves so that a closed eye is formed to allow the old loops to slip from the needles (all well known in the art).

The leg of the stocking is knitted on the legger machine (not shown) 'in the conventional manner. During this time my topping apparatus or mechanism, generally designated A, and comprising two side bars 20 and 22 rotatably or oscillatorily mounted adjacent a middle or central topping bar 24 all of which is held in inoperative position with a plurality of transferring needles or points 26 and 28 in the side topping bars 20 and 22 raised, and a plurality of transferring needles or points in the middletopping bar 24. The side bars and the front bar are each constructed of a rectangular block having the transfer nee: dles mounted vertically therein and in the same longitudinal plane therein, and. the transfer mechanism is positioned so the front bar is longitudinally adjacent and adapted to be placed parallel to the regular knitting needles. I

The topping mechanism -A, see Figures 6 and 7, is suitably placed above the knitting needles 32 so that the entire mechanism may be moved in proper horizontal planes and also vertical planes.

The side bars 20 and 22 are each mounted at one end on shafts 21 and 23, respectively, and each shaft 21 and 23 is oscillatorily mounted within a bearing of suitably positioned supports 25 and 27, the supports being removably situated upon the top of the front bar toward each end. The relative location of the side bars and the front bar is such that the needles therein may be located in the same vertical plane thereby forming a practically continuous series of needles;

and the needles of the side bars may also be laced in a plane perpendicular to the needles of the front bar with the unsupported end of the side bars rotatabl towards the rear of the flat machine. The needles of the front bar are fixedly mounted therein,

of the distance between the knitting needles.

The trahsfer needles on the sidebars are spaced two'or more knittin needles apart.

After starting the heel aps the needles 30 of the middle topping bar 24 are dropped so that they press against and reach lower than the entrance to the heard of the eye on the end of the knitting needles 32 held by the needle bars of'the machine (see' Fig. 4.), so that, upon upward movement of the toppin bar the loops forming the instep of the stoc ing are taken upwardly, off and free of the needles 32 and placed directly to the cally positioned. telescoping shafts 44, 46,

and 48, a transverse sha t 50, longitudinally mounted push shafts 52 and 54 and the topping mechanism carrying shaft 56. Since it is necessary to raise and lower the topping bars 20, 22 and 24 at various intervals to be controlled by the operator, 1 provide a manual control for shifting a lever to cause a forked arm to move the roller 38 from a circular cam 62 to the elevating cam. 34.

The sliding needles 26 and 28 are in raised position during the operation wherein the instep is elevated from the needle bar, the needles 26 and 28 having previously been lifted.

After the instep removing o eration is completed, the push shafts 52 an 54 mounted adjacent and above the needle bars and suitably supported from the shaft 56 are shifted manually to bring the side topping bars 20 and 22 perpendicular to the bar 24, through the action of suitably connected pivoted links 64 and 66 for the rod 52 and bar 22 and links 68 and 70 for the rod 54 and bar 20, Figure 2. The regular leg heels or heel flaps are then knitted, the instep meanwhile having been lifted out of the way of the knitting needles of the needle bar as above described and therefore not being knitted.

The forward horizontal movement of the topping bars 20, 22 and 24 with their respective needles 26, 28 and 30, for each course knitted, is performed as follows:

A cam 72 fixed to the camshaft 36 which is 'rotatably mounted, moves a suitably positioned rocker arm 74; together with a rod 76 operably connected to one end of the arm 74 and also connected to one end of an oscillatory mounted lever 78. This movement actuates a pawl 80 pivotally connected to the lever 78, which transmits the desired angular movement to a suitably positioned ratchet wheel 82 mounted on a shaft 84. The pawl 80 is constrained to contact with the ratchet wheel 82 by a spring 86.

A bevel gear 88 also on the shaft 84, meshes with a pinion 90, the movement of which is transmitted thru the vertically positioned telescoping shaft 48 to operably engaged bevel helical gears 92 and 94. The gear 94 has an internal helical gear which interacts with a transverse worm 96 out upon a wormshaft 50; however, turning the gear 94 withdraws the wormshaft 50 and carries -with it the carrying shaft 56. The gear 88 and the ratchet 82 are secured together and are free to rotate about the shaft 84. Thus movement of the ratchet wheel 82 is transmitted to the bevel gear 88. If desired, any other mode of mechanical movements may be employed, such, for example, as mounting the shaft 84 in hearings in the front with the ear 88 and the ratchet 82 fixed to the shaft or rotation therewith. Y

A retaining pawl 98 is, ordinarily, set on of contact with the ratchet 82- while the pawl 80 en ages the ratchet 82. As the varied shape cam 2 rotates to move the rocker arm 74, the rod 76, the oscillating lever 78, the pawl 80 and the ratchet 82; a stud 100 on the face of a cam 102 strikes a roller 104 on a pivoted lever arm 106; moving a-link 108 and sliding arm 110 forward and thereby locking the retaining pawl 98, against the ratchet wheel 82. At the moment this locking occurs a pin 112 on the lower end of the pawl 80 is engaged by one side of an arm 114 on the sliding arm 110 and moves the pawl 80 out of contact with the ratchet 82, the cam 72 being so shaped as to cause the pawl to be in its lowermost position at this time.' A spring 116 pulls the lever 106 backward, when the stud 100 has passedthe roller 104, releasing the locking pawl 98 and. moving the pawl 80 into engagement with the ratchet 82. Further movement of the cam 72 moves the ratchet 82 one course.

A course regulator structure comprising an adjustable support to limit the stroke of an arm 80 may be inserted under the end of the pawl 80 to limit the length of the stroke of the pawl, in order to predetermine the length of the course.

With the side topping bars 20 and 22 perpendicular to the middle topping bar, one each of the needles 26 and 28 on the side topping bars 20 and 22 is pushed down after every two courses by a pusher 118 operated by a pivoted lever 120 thru a crank rod 122 and cam 124 rotating on a transverse shaft 126, until the heel flaps are completed. The pusher rod 118 is lifted to its uppermost position by a suitably tensioned 22 still having the needles in .the inside selvage edge of the heel see Fig. 8, are then swung forward by means of the longitudinally mounted push shafts 52 and 54 and their coordinated connecting links 64, 66, 68 and 70 until the needles in the side topping bars are in line with the needles of the middle topping bar 24, see Figs. 7 and 9. The topping bars 20, 22 and 24 are then moved back of the needle bar by turning the gear 96 and shaft 50 by a suitable crank (not shown). ferred to the needles 32 on the needle bar by movement of the levers 58 and 60, thru the cam 34, roller 38, the bar 42, the shafts 44 and 46, wormshaft 90 and supporting shaft 56.

After the transfer, the topping bars, which are now in'a straight line, are raised again and moved forward to a position such that the plates 128 inserted by push shafts 130 and 132, engage the top of the sliding needles 26 of the side bar 20 and top of-the sliding needles 28 of the side bar 22; the sliding needles being formed in the shape of an inverted L so that this retaining function may be readily performed. When the topping bars are again lowered, the plates 128 raising the sliding needles with respect to the end sections, so that the sliding needles are in elevated position for the next operation.

The topping bars 20, 22 and 24 are then again raised upwardly out of the way of the needle bar and the fiat machine is in p0- ;ition to complete a regular full fashioned oot.

A summary of the operation of my invention is as follows The leg of the stocking is knitted upon the knitting needles ofthe flat machine. When a portion of the high heel or heel flap has been knitted, the center topping bar is positioned to lift the instep portion of the stocking upward off the knitting needles by means of the lifting cam 34, roller 38, and the operation of the levers 58 and 60. The central bar lifting the instep is moved towards the front of the machine over the knitting needles; and the side bars 20 and 22, with their needles 26 and 28 in a raised position are then turned so that the side bars are perpendicular to the topping bar 24, and the operation of the knitting machine is continued so that the regular leg heels are finished.

As the courses on the heel flaps are being knitted on the knitting needles 32, the

ratchet 82 may idly oscillate back and forth doing no harm. However, it is particularly to be noted .that the locking of the ratchet 82, by the pawl 98 and the dropping of the needles in the side bars 20 and 22 are done practically at the same period of time in order thatthe sliding needles 26 and 28 are pushed into their proper loops. Thus, itis seen there must be synchronization of the movements of the pusher 118, and its cooperative cam 124, rod 122 and lever 120, together with the retaining pawl 98 which The stocking loops are then transengages the ratchet 82 and, also, the oscillation of arm 74 by the cam 72 to disengage the arm 80.

However, after knitting two courses of each heel flap, one each of the needles 26 and 28 is pushed down into the inside selvage edge of the heel by the operably interrelated action of cam 124, mounted upon a support and driven by a shaft 126 which is driven by any suitable means, the arm 122 and the pusher 120 acting on. the pusher rod 118. It is to be noted that the dropping of the needles may be regulated by a chain motion or other device and the rod 118 remains in the same vertical plane while the vertical plane of the transfer needle moves.

After every course the entire topping mechanism is moved forward, that is, to the front of the machine, a distance of one course through motion of the cam 72, the rocker arm 74, the rod 76, etc., as regulated on the ratchet 82 (meanwhile dropping the side transfer needles) until each of the heel flaps is completed. When the heel flaps are completed the top bar has moved forward the full distance of the length of the heel flap then knitted, the edges of the heel flap being now pushed off the knitting needles. The side topping bars 20 and 22 having the needles in the side of the heel flaps are moved, by the push shafts 52 and 54 to be in the same plane as the transfer needles of the topping bar 24. The needles carrying the instep and heel flap are moved back of the knitting needles of the needle bar, and by means of the movement of cam 34, roller 38 and levers 58 and 60 together with the aid of the person operating the machine, the instep and heel flaps are transferred back to the spring beard needles. After the transfer, the topping mechanism is raised and moved to a position where it will not interfere with the further operation of knitting the stocking. The machine is then operated in its usual manner so that it will complete a regular full fashioned foot.

However, before the final knitting operation is made the sliding needles are lifted by the plates 128 so that the topping mechanism will be in position for the next stocking.

To enable larger loops to be made along the inner heel edge, thereby enabling the needles to pass through the loop more easily without damage thereto at the time the leg is transferred from the topping bars 20, 22, and 24, to the needle bar, I provide a spring 134 engaging one needle which forms the extreme inside selvage loop of the heel. The.

spring is fastened to a bar 136' which has a limited movement and is provided with an extension 138 engaging a fixed projection 140 on the knitting machine. A plate 142 when shifted by a cam (not shown) about a shaft 144 moves bar 136 and the spring Ill i 134 slightly upwardly, thereby shifting the needle 32 slightly forward, and causing the thread or yard to be moved, thus making a larger loop. Only one spring 134 is needed for each inside edge of the heel.

To enable the instep to be made wider or narrower, I provide an extra number of eye guides in the topping bar 24 so that extra needles may be inserted therein; by providing a slot in the ledge 146 and corrugations 147 thereunder to engage corrugations on the top edge of the topping bar 24, the side bars 20 and 22 may be moved in parallel planes but closer to or further from one another. By loosening the fastening screw, the parts 20 and 22 may be shifted farther apart or closer together, and-when the necessary distance is located, the screws are tightened.

In order to shift the rods 130 and 132 so that the pusher rods 118 will not interfere with any of the operations, I pivot a bar 148 over and between the rods 130 and 132, with links 150 and 152 connecting the rods 130 and 132, respectively, with the ends of the bar 148.

The shaft 126 is driven from the shaft 36 by bevel gears of suitableratio.

In Fig. 8, I have shown the loop X which has no needle therethrough. The purpose of omitting the needle from the loop X is to insure coincidence of the loops Y and X when the heel portions are placed in the positions shown in Fig. 9. These two loops are then placed on the same needle 'so that the heel at such point will be strengthened. If a needle should be placed in loop X when the heel is knitted, a hole will result after the foot of the stocking is completed.

It is to be noted that the operating structure for the side topping bar 20 is similar to the structure for the side topping bar 22, but for the sake of clarity, some of the parts are omitted and some of the parts have been placed in distorted position.

Although this invention has been described as being applicable to hosiery, I am aware that it is equally applicable to the manufacture of other garments, such as underwear, coats, bathing suits, etc.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variouslyembodied. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except as far as it is made necessary by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery and including a needle bar and knitting needles associated therewith, means to lift tl e instep of the stocking from said knittin needles, a plurality of transfer needles, means to press said transfer needles into the inside selvage ed e of the heel portion of the said stocking a ter a plurality of courses of the heel have been knitted, means to shift said transfer needles in the inside selvage edge of the heel in position to place said knitted portion over the knitting needles on said needle bar, and means to effect a shifting of said knitted portion from said transfer needles to the knitting needles of said needle bar, whereby the machine may continue to complete said stocking in a continuous operation.

2. A flat knitting machine having a needle bar and needles, topping bar means including transfer needles operable to lift the center portion of the fabric knitted, so that only the sides of the fabric may be lmitted, means to drop other of said transfer needles into the inner side of the fabric after being knitted, means whereby said center portion transfer needles and said other transfer needles may be placed in the same plane, and meansto lower said topping bar directly over the needles of the needle bar so that the fabric may be shifted from the transfer needles of the topping bar; and the center portion and the outer portion of the fabric may be further knitted simultaneously.

3. A method of knitting a complete full fashioned stocking on a single machine, by

knitting the leg of the stocking and a portion of the heel, then lifting the instep of the stocking from the knitting needles, and then continuing to finish the knitting of the heel, meanwhile lifting the inner edge of the heel after a plurality of courses have been knitted, then moving the lifted portions of the heel and instep back to the knitting needles and continuing the knitting until finished. i

4. The combination with a fiat knitting machine wherein a complete full fashioned stocking may be knitted, of a topping bar composed of a front bar and side bars and means to adjust said side topping bars whereby various sizes of instep may be made.

5. In combination with a flat knitting machine having knitting needles, a central topping bar and side topping bars; said side bars being mounted for pivotal movement, and means to shift each of said side bars about their respective pivot points.

6. In combination with a flat knitting machine having knitting needles, a topping bar composed of a central topping bar and side topping bars; said side bars being mounted for oscillatory movement and also for rectilinear movement in a vertical direction, means to oscillate said side bars, means whereby said topping bar may be given a vertical and forward and backward motion. 1

needles in said central bar and side bars; and adjustable means whereby the, needles in said central bar and side bars may be placed in the same plane.

8. In combination with a machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery, knitting needles on said machine, atopping bar composed of central and side bars, said side bars being rotatably mounted upon the front bar, vertical motion means to raise and lower said topping bar; means whereby said topping bar is moved forward for each course of knitting; means whereby the needles in each side bar are successively dropped at the end of predetermined courses; and means whereby the loop at the end of the course wherein the needles from the topping bar are placed is made larger by moving said needle.

9. An attachment for a knitting machine comprising a front topping bar and side topping bars, means whereby said side topping bars are oscillatorily mounted relative to saidfront topping bar, needles in said bars, and means for oscillating said side bars relative to the front bar.

10. An attachment for a knitting machine comprising a front topping bar and side topping bars, means whereby said side topping bars are oscillatorily mounted relative to said front topping bar, and means for oscillating said side bars relative to said front bar.

11. An attachment for a knitting machine comprising a front topping bar and side topping bars, said side bars being mounted adjacent said front bar for oscillatory movement, and means for oscillating said side bars relative to said front bar.

12. The method of knitting a complete full fashioned stocking on a single machine, comprising knitting the leg of the stocking and a portion of the heel, lifting and holding the instep of the stocking from the knitting needles, finishing the knitting of the heel, lifting the inner edge of the heel as the heel is being knitted, moving the lifted portions of the heel and instep back to the knitting needles and then finishing the stocking.

13. An attachment for a knitting machine comprising a front bar and a plurality of side bars, needles in said bars, and adjustable means whereby said central bar and side bar needles may be placed in the same plane.

14. An attachment for a knitting machine comprising a front bar, and a plurality of side bars, needles mounted in said'bars, said side bars being pivotally mounted adjacent said front bar, push rods operably connected to oscillate said side bars, means for moving said front bar and side bars in a horizontal plane, and means for moving said bars in a vertical plane.

15. In combination with a topping bar comprising a front bar and slde bars, and

transfer needles in said side bars vertically movable therein, a pusher adapted to be positioned close to each of the side bars, spring means to hold said pushers in operative position, said pushers adapted to move one or more needles in each of said side bars, and mechanically operable means to actuate said pusher.

16. An attachment to enlarge loops comprising a knitting needle, a spring resting against said needle, said spring having one end attached to a movable bar, said bar hav ing one end movable whereby the spring and knitting needle will be moved.

17. The combination with a fiat knitting machine, of topping mechanism comprising a front topping bar and side topping bars, said side topping bars being pivotally associated with said front topping bar, and means to shift said side bars about their respective pivot points.

18. The combination with a flat knitting machine, of topping mechanism comprising a front topping bar and side topping bars, said side topping bars being operatively-associated adjacent to said front topping bar, and means for oscillating said side bars relative to said front topping bar. I

19. In a machine for knitting full fashioned stockings and provided with a needle bar and knitting needles, the combination of means for lifting the central portion of the fabric from said knitting needles whereby only the side portions of said fabric may continue to be knitted, means for lifting the inner edges of said side portions, and means for moving said edges of said side portions over said needle bar in line with the edge of said central portion whereby the fabric may be again shifted onto said knitting needles to complete the knitting of said fabric.

20. In a machine for knittin full fashioned stockings and provided w1th a needle bar and knitting needles, the combination of means for lifting the central portion of the fabric from said knitting needles whereby only the side portions thereof may continue to be knitted, means for lifting the inner edges of said side portions, means for. rendering said last named means operative to lift the inner edges of said side portions after a plurality of courses thereof have been knitted, and means for moving said edges of said side portions oversaid needle bar in line with the edge of said central portion whereby the fabric may be again shifted onto said knitting needles to complete the knitting of said fabric.

21. In a machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery, topping mechanism comprising a front barand side bars said side bars being rotatably mounted, a plurality of needles in each of said bars, means for rotatmg said side bars relative to said front bar, means for raising and lowerlng said topplng mechanism, means for advancing said topping mechanism for each course of knitting, means for inserting at least one needle of each of said side bars into the loops at the ends of predetermined courses of knitting.

22. In a machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery, topping mechanism comprising a front bar and side bars said side bars being rotatably mounted, a plurality of needles in each of said bars, means for rotating said side bar relative to said front bar, means for raising and lowering said topping mechanism, means for advancing said topping mechanism for each course of knitting, means for successively inserting the needles in each of said side bars into the loops at the ends of predetermined courses of knitting, and means whereby the loops into which said needles are inserted are made larger than the loops at the ends of the otlier courses of knitting.

23. A topping mechanism comprising a front topping bar and'a plurality of side topping bars, said side topping bars being rotatably mounted relative to said front topping bar and transfer needles mounted in all of said bars, the transfer needles in said front bar being fixed and the transfer needles in said side bars being vertically movable therein.

24. A topping bar attachment for knitting machines comprising a front bar, and a plurality of side bars, said side bars being pivotally mounted adjacent said front bar, push rods operably connected to said side bars for oscillating said side bars, and means for connecting said front and side bars so that said bars may be moved as a single unit.

25. In combination with a flat knitting machine, a topping mechanism comprising a front bar and side bars, a plurality of transfer needles mounted in said bars, the transfer needles in said side bars being slidable, a pusher positioned adjacent each of said side bars and adapted to push the needles in said side bars, means for normally holding said pusher out of contact with said needles, and means for actuating said pusher to cause said pusher to push said needles.

26. In combination, a topping mechanism comprising a front bar and side bars, a plurality of transfer needles mounted in said bars, the transfer needles in said side bars being movable, a pusher positioned adjacent each of said side bars and adapted to push the needles in said side bars, means for normally holding said pusher out of contact with said needles, and means for actuating said pusher to cause said pusher to intermittently and successively push one or more of said needles in the side bars.

27 An attachment to enlarge thread loops comprising a support, a knitting needle edge of the heel flaps, a pusher adjacent each of said side bars and adapted to push the transfer points in said side bars, means for normally holding said pusher out of contact with said transfer points, and means for actuating said pusher to move said transfer points.

29. In combination with a flat knitting machine, a plurality of side bars, slidable transfer points in said side bars, means for holding said side bars, said side bars being rotatably mounted, said points being adapted to engage the inside selvage edge of the heel flaps, a pusher adjacent each of said side bars and adapted to push the trans fer points in said side bars, means for normally holding said pusher out of contact with said transfer points, and means for actuating said pusher to move said transfer points.

30. The combination with a flat knitting machine comprising a front topping bar and related side topping bars, said side topping bars being pivotally mounted adjacent to said front bar, transfer points mounted in all of said bars, push rods operably connected to rotate said side bars, a pusher adapted to be operably' positioned adjacent each of said side bars when the side bars are substantially perpendicular to the front bar, said pusher adapted to engage and move the transfer points in each of said side bars, driving mechanism adapted to operably engage said pusher, means operably connected to move said front and side bars forward at predetermined intervals, and

means operably connected to optionally ele-' vate and lower said front and side bars In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RICHARD F R. MEIER.

mountedthereon, a plate movably, mounted 

